New Delhi: The National Rifle Association of India is all set to elect a full-time president during its governing body meeting on December 29.

Vice-president Avtar Singh Sethi has been serving as interim chief of NRAI since late Digvijay Singh had stepped down following a Supreme Court directive just before the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in February.

Following the Supreme Court`s directive to the NRAI to go back to the Delhi High Court on the issue of its office-bearers holding more than two terms in office, the federation had named Sethi as the interim president.

According to sources within the federation, Patiala`s Raninder Singh and Sham Singh Yadav have emerged as the most likely contenders for the post but NRAI secretary, Rajiv Bhatia, when contacted, refused to confirm the names.

"There is a vacancy for the post of NRAI president but we haven`t received any official letter from anyone expressing their willingness for the post of president," said Bhatia.

"As per the NRAI rule the president will be elected by the governing body, it will co-opt the president," Bhatia added.

But, in contrary to Bhatia`s claim, sources said that there are three to four candidates vying for the top post, with Raninder and Sham Singh being the frontrunners.

"Apart from these two, there may be some other candidates," a source said.

Meanwhile, no headway has been made as far as NRAI`s request for an additional foreign coach is concerned.

"That will be decided in the Long Term Development Development Programme. That date for that has not been fixed yet as the SAI (Sports Authority of India) will decide that," Bhatia said.

The federation has been been pushing for an additional coach for quite a while now.